is both
offered as a sacrifice, and consecrated and received as a sacrament:
since first we have the oblation; then the consecration of the matter
offered; and thirdly, its reception.

In regard to the oblation, two things are done, namely, the people's
praise in singing the "offertory," expressing the joy of the
offerers, and the priest's prayer asking for the people's oblation to
be made acceptable to God. Hence David said (1 Para 29:17): "In the
simplicity of my heart, I have . . . offered all these things: and I
have seen with great joy Thy people which are here present, offer
Thee their offerings": and then he makes the following prayer: "O
Lord God . . . keep . . . this will."

Then, regarding the consecration, performed by supernatural power,
the people are first of all excited to devotion in the "Preface,"
hence they are admonished "to lift up their hearts to the Lord," and
therefore when the "Preface" is ended the people devoutly praise
Christ's Godhead, saying with the angels: "Holy, Holy, Holy"; and His
humanity, saying with the children: "Blessed is he that cometh." In
the next place the priest makes a "commemoration," first of those for
whom this sacrifice is offered, namely, for the whole Church, and
"for those set in high places" (1 Tim. 2:2), and, in a special
manner, of them "who offer, or for whom the mass is offered."
Secondly, he commemorates the saints, invoking their patronage for
those mentioned above, when he says: "Communicating with, and
honoring the memory," etc. Thirdly, he concludes the petition when he
says: "Wherefore that this oblation," etc., in order that the
oblation may be salutary to them for whom it is offered.

Then he comes to the consecration itself. Here he asks first of all
for the effect of the consecration, when he says: "Which oblation do
Thou, O God," etc. Secondly, he performs the consecration using our
Saviour's words, when he says: "Who the day before," etc. Thirdly, he
makes excuse for his presumption in obeying Christ's command, saying:
"Wherefore, calling to mind," etc. Fourthly, he asks that the
sacrifice accomplished may find favor with God, when he says: "Look
down upon them with a propitious," etc. Fifthly, he begs for the
effect of this sacrifice and sacrament, first for the partakers,
saying: "We humbly beseech Thee"; then for the dead, who can no
longer receive it, saying: "Be mindful also, O Lord," etc.; thirdly,
for the priests themselves who offer, sayin